Maggie
by charley07
Summary: Aria and Ezra go to California for a college visit and it turns out her random tour guide at Berkeley is a lot more familiar than they expect. Maggie disappeared out of Ezra's life seven years ago but now that they're reunited, the question remains: what happened to the baby?
1. Chapter 1

"Would you be mad if I said I wanted to take the tour alone?" Aria asked as she and Ezra walked across the Berkeley campus. "Not because I don't want you there but because if I like this school, I'll be here on my own for a while and I need to make sure I can survive alone."

He kissed the top of her head. "Of course. I saw a coffee shop down the street so I'll hang out there until you're ready to meet up." He looked around. "It's a nice campus."

"Yeah," Aria breathed, overwhelmed by the size. "Not exactly Hollis, is it?"

"Nope," he chuckled. "Do you at least want me to wait until your tour guide gets here?"

She shook her head. "No, go ahead. I'll call you when I'm finished."

"Sounds good," he agreed, leaning down to kiss her. "Have fun."

Once Ezra was gone, Aria sat on the low stone wall and waited. When she'd called for a tour, the office explained that they wanted their prospective students to have a personal experience so they did one-on-one tours as opposed to groups. Aria was nervous about who her guide would be and was afraid she would seem out of place at a school known for its incredible history.

"Aria?" a female voice asked from behind her several minutes later. "I'm so, so sorry I'm late," she said, appearing in front of the younger girl. "Your tour guide called in sick and everyone else was out so I volunteered but I haven't been to this part of campus since I was a sophomore and that was several years ago." She offered a hand. "I'm Liz Douglas."

Aria shook the pretty redhead's hand. "Aria Montgomery. Thank you for volunteering. I would make another appointment but I'm from Pennsylvania and came to visit with my boyfriend."

"Is he thinking of Berkeley, too?" Liz wanted to know as they began walking.

"Oh, no, Aria denied, deciding not to elaborate any further on Ezra. "Berkeley isn't for him."

Liz shrugged. "It's not for everyone. Berkeley has one of the highest transfer rates in the country based on 'disappointment with academic and social atmosphere,'" she explained with a smile. "Yeah, that's a thing. I try not to judge but the school is pretty well-known for being incredibly liberal and open-minded so I never really understand why the more conservative-at-heart are so shocked by what they see here." She eyed Aria. "I'm not totally turning you off already, am I?"

"No," Aria laughed. "Honestly, I could use a little less conservativeness in my life. The town I come from is very small and very judgmental. People talk."

"I'm from New York so I can't say it's too small but you'd be surprised," Liz murmured. "So, why Berkeley?"

"Well, I like the open-minded aspect," Aria admitted. "I like the idea of so many artistic, free-spirited people coming together in an educational environment. And the whole three-thousand-miles-from-home thing doesn't hurt either."

The tour lasted almost two hours, which Liz explained was uncommon but she liked talking to Aria so she admittedly dragged it out some, and when it ended, she led Aria to the coffee house to meet Ezra.

"It was great meeting you," Liz said as they stood outside on the sidewalk. "I hope you decide on Berkeley because it's a great school and I think you'd be a perfect fit." She reached into the pocket of her button-up shirt. "I know this seems nerdy but this is my card. If you make it out here, look me up."

Aria looked at the card. "_Margaret Elizabeth Douglas, associate dean of Admissions_." Your name is Margaret?"

"Maggie?"

Aria froze at the sound of Ezra's voice calling out a name that had haunted her for months now. She looked up to see Liz staring just past at her like she was seeing a ghost.

"Ezra," Liz whispered in shock.

"Oh, my God," Aria breathed as everything sunk in. "You're Maggie."

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**I know it's super short but it's basically a prologue. A lot of people have been writing about how Aria and Ezra deal with the Maggie stuff but I'm curious about who this Maggie might be so many years later. I want to believe Aria and Ezra will survive this and this story will obviously take place later in her senior year as she goes on college visits. Let me know what you think and if I should continue. It wouldn't be too long, maybe four or five chapters. I have most of a second chapter written and it's a lot of Maggie/"Liz" talking about what happened when they were kids. Thanks!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

"I uhh, I need to go," Liz/Maggie said quickly. "Again, Aria, it was great to meet you. Good luck." She turned around and hurried away.

Aria looked to Ezra. He stared at her for a long moment before running after his ex. "Maggie!"

"That's not me anymore," Maggie said as he caught up with her. "I stopped being Maggie Preston when I left Manhattan seven years ago."

"Okay, fine," he agreed. "Who are you now?"

"Liz Douglas," she replied. "I started using my middle name when I came to California and adopted my mom's maiden name. It was easier that way."

"Easier?" Ezra repeated.

"Yes," she confirmed. "I figured if Maggie Preston stopped leaving a trail, you'd stop looking for her."

"Don't you think I had a right?" he demanded. "To know what happened to...the baby?"

Maggie scoffed. "Why? You let Mommy take care of that for you, Ezra. She paid me off so you could go to your fancy college and live the life of luxury she planned for you."

"I gave up my family!" he cried. "When I found out my mom paid you to fall off the face of the planet, I transferred out of Vassar to a small, liberal arts school in Pennsylvania and I shortened my last name to _Fitz._ I've barely spoken to my mother since I was eighteen."

"How noble of you," she grumbled. "Ezra, I've moved on. I don't have time for this anymore."

"What happened to the baby?" Ezra asked softly, trying to calm down.

"I didn't have an abortion, if that's what you're implying," Maggie snapped. She sighed. "His name is Henry. Henry Fitzgerald Adams. I gave him up for adoption but I get to see him from time-to-time. His family lives in Santa Barbara and he has a good life."

"Does he know?" Ezra wondered, trying to process the fact that somewhere in southern California, he had a son. "About being adopted? About me?"

"He does," she nodded. "His parents, Lindsey and Nick, were adamant that he not be kept in the dark about who he is. When he asks about you, I just say that you're a very important person but you think of him every day." Tears filled her eyes. "He thinks you're a superhero."

Ezra sat down on the curb and looked back to Aria, who was watching them closely, before dropping his head into his hands. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Maggie sat down next to him. "Because you were destined for greatness, Ezra. You're a Fitzgerald and you were going places. I was a Brooklyn-born scholarship student at Dalton when we met and while not a day goes by that I'm not ashamed for taking the ice queen's offer, I was so terrified. I had no way of raising a baby at eighteen."

"We could've done it together!" he exclaimed.

"How?" Maggie shot back. "Your mother drove a wedge between us as soon as you told her. There was no way she would've let us raise a baby together at eighteen. One of us wouldn't have gone to college and we both know that would've been me. I didn't want to resent you for the rest of my life."

"Don't you though?" he assumed.

"No," she denied. "I mean, to be honest, I always felt a little sorry for you. You were so trapped in a life that was always going to catch up with you,you know?" She looked to Aria. "I'll bet the proud Diane Fitzgerald isn't too fond of your choice in girlfriend now."

He laughed wryly. "Not at all. She thinks Aria is ruining my life but for the first time since I was a kid, I'm just happy all the time." Silence settled between them for a few minutes. "Could I meet him?"

Maggie made a face. "I don't know. I'd have to talk with Lindsey and Nick about it. I've always told them you were one of the best guys I've ever known and that if you'd known Henry existed, you'd be present but I don't know if they're ready for that. And I don't know how Henry would react to finding out his biological father is not, in fact, a superhero."

"I'm not," he shook his head. "I teach English at a private school near Philadelphia. Unless grading essays is a power, I'm pretty boring."

Maggie stared at him. "I'd imagine being twenty-five and dating a high school senior in a small, judgmental Pennsylvania town is not always so boring."

"You're judging," Ezra accused.

"No," she denied. "I like Aria. She's very mature for her age and I can see why you like her. What are you gonna do if she chooses Berkeley?"

"Come here," he answered. "Maybe not at first but that's the plan eventually. If we come out here, we can be a normal couple."

"Well, besides the age difference, is it that big of a deal at home?" Maggie asked.

Ezra sighed. "I wasn't always a teacher at a private school. I started at another school out there."

"Her school," she realized. "Wow. Your life really is a lot different than I thought it would be."

Silence settled over them once more before Maggie stood up. "Look, I really need to get going. I spent a lot longer on Aria's tour than I should've and I have to go back to work."

Ezra stood. "Can we meet up later? I at least deserve that. There's so much I want to know."

Maggie considered this for a long time before caving in. "Okay. How about dinner tonight at that little pizza place across the street? 8:00?"

"Done," he agreed. "Thanks, Mag-err, Liz."

She started backing away but couldn't stop the smile from creeping onto her face. "You can call me Maggie."

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******I realize it might seem a little confusing because she goes by "Liz" but I refer to her as "Maggie," but I just didn't want to confuse anyone with calling her Liz. Anyways, I'm so so so appreciative of the feedback for the first chapter. It means a lot. As far as Maggie goes, I don't consider her a bad guy. I've never been in a situation where a boy's mother offered me money to go away upon learning I'm pregnant but I can only imagine that at eighteen, she'd be scared s**tless and have no idea what to do. Running into her again will bring up some past feelings for Ezra but I assure you, "Ezria" will survive. I know Aria isn't in this chapter really but she's a major part of the story. As always, let me know what you think. I love it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

Once she was gone, Ezra made his way back to Aria. "So, that's Maggie."

"Small world," she murmured. "It looked...intense."

"Seven years of unanswered questions and hurt," he shrugged. "She agreed to meet for dinner tonight."

"Oh," Aria nodded as they began walking back towards the car they'd rented. "Well, maybe you'll get some closure."

"Closure?" he repeated. "Aria, I have a six-year-old son named Henry that I know nothing about. The last thing I want is closure. I want to know everything that's happened."

"She had the baby?" Aria asked. "I guess I was under the impression she'd had an abortion."

"That's what my mother always implied," Ezra muttered. "She gave him up for adoption to a family in Santa Barbara but she gets to see him. He thinks I'm a superhero."

Aria didn't know what to say. When she'd first found out about Maggie through Wesley, it had taken a long time for her and Ezra to get past his lie. But she knew it was something he had been struggling with internally for years so she was able to forgive him, assuming they'd never know what really happened. But now, six months later, not only had Maggie come into the picture but also the son Ezra had fathered and Aria was worried about how this would affect both Ezra and their relationship. His relationship with Jackie had ended because she didn't want to marry him and the love between them dissolved. But Aria had to wonder how much Ezra had loved Maggie because she was taken away, not because he'd stopped loving her.

"Do you want to come to dinner?" Ezra offered, breaking Aria's trance.

"I don't know," she murmured. "Maybe it should just be about you and Maggie."

"Please?" he begged. "This is really crazy for me and I need you there."

Aria reached for his hand. "Okay."

Back at their hotel, Aria watched from the bed as Ezra dug aggressively through his bag.

"Do you know where my toothbrush is?" he asked, throwing clothes to the floor.

"It's in the bathroom," she said quietly. "You used it this morning."

He sighed and braced himself against the dresser. "You're right." Ezra turned to her. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little nervous."

She reached for his hand. "It will be okay. She agreed to meet with you; that's the first step."

He sat down beside her. "Are you okay with all this?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "It's overwhelming, I think, so I can't even imagine what you're feeling. But you deserve these answers so I support you." She was quiet for a long moment. "Is Maggie what you remember?"

"Exactly," he confirmed with a chuckle. "Same red hair, same brown eyes. She always had a way of knowing everything without being smug. I feel like she still does that." He looked at her. "I love you, you know that, right? I know this has to be crazy for you—it is for me—and I appreciate you being here."

"Well, it's not like I haven't thought about this," she murmured, leaning against his shoulder. "I've wondered about her."

"I wonder about him," he admitted softly. "Part of me has always wondered but now I know I have a son and my mind is going a million miles a minute, just wondering about him. Does he look like me? Does he look like Maggie? What does he like to do? Is he reading? What sports does he like? Does he even like sports? Is he smart? What cartoons does he watch?"

"Deep breath," she advised. "I know this is a lot for you to take in but you've just gotta take it one step at a time. We'll meet with her tonight and see what happens."

Across town, Maggie sat in her apartment, staring at her cell phone. She knew Lindsey and Nick deserved to know that Ezra knew about Henry and was interested. She didn't blame him but she wasn't ready to throw him in front of Henry and hope for the best. With a deep breath, she called the Adams home in Santa Barbara.

"Hello?" Lindsey answered.

"Hi, Lindsey, it's Maggie," she explained. The adoptive parents of her son were the only people in her new life that called her that, other than Henry. "Is now an okay time?"

"Sure," Lindsey agreed. "Henry is at soccer practice with Nick and I'm just doing some catch up on a case. What's up?"

"I ran into an old friend from New York today," Maggie said. "He's in town and I saw him at a coffee shop."

"That's great!" Lindsey cried. "You've always said you miss parts of home."

"It was him, Lindsey," Maggie interrupted. "It was Henry's dad."

Lindsey sat down at her desk. "Does he know?"

"He knows," Maggie told her. "I just, I couldn't lie to him. Ezra never expected his mother to do what she did."

"I understand," Lindsey smiled. "You've always spoken highly of him and I trust you. Is he interested in Henry?"

"He wants to meet him," Maggie replied, "but I rebuked that. I agreed to meet him for dinner to just talk. Is it okay if I take photos?"

Lindsey took a deep breath. "Yes. We just, we wouldn't be ready for an introduction yet."

"No, of course not," Maggie agreed quickly. "But I can at least vet to see if he's serious about his interest and go from there." She sighed. "I hid Henry from him for over six years and now I have to deal with the consequences."

"Just let me know how it goes," Lindsey said. "Good luck tonight, sweetie."

At ten to eight, Ezra and Aria made their way into the small pizza joint and got a table near the back.

"You're trembling," Aria noticed, reaching for his hand.

"I'm nervous," he whispered. "It was one thing to see her today but now she's coming to tell me about my son. What do I ask about?"

Aria sighed. "Just ask about how she's been and how he is. What are you most interested in?"

"Everything," he replied. "I want to know how she ended up in California and how she chose his parents and what they're like. Maggie was always smart so I'm sure they're good people. I just want to know about them."

Before Aria could say anything, Maggie made her way inside and joined them at their table. With a deep breath, she reached into a bag and pulled out a photo album, opening to the first page. "This is Henry, your son."

* * *

**I apologize for the gap in uploads. I started my graduate program recently and it's been a bit hectic. I realize this Maggie story is absolutely nothing like what's happening on the show now but I'm okay with that. Also, Alex Mack is Maggie?! So awesome. Though I learned that many PLL watchers don't even know who Alex Mack is, due to being younger, and that's a shame because Nickelodeon shows used to be so good. Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter. I don't know much about the adoption process so if it's wrong, remember this is all fictional. Thanks, y'all!**


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